Lightning-arrester.



W. R. GARTON.

LIGHTNING ARRBSTER. l. APPLICATION FILED mm2, 190e.'

Patented Jan. 18,191.;

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j WILLIAM-1i. oAnroN. or` BROOKLYN. NEW YORK, Assioma 'ro c. 'JL cmrrni. or

MDNTEZUMA. IOWA. W-

LIGHTNINGARREsrEe Specification 'of Letters Patent. Pa tente-tl Jan. 1 8. 191 0.

vApplication led November 2. 1908. Serial No. 460,576.

To all whom 'it may concern:

".Be it known that l, Wimaiu R. .(airiox. `residing at Brooklyn. in the county of Kings .and State Of New York. have invented cer- 5 tain Improvements iii Lightniii r-.\rresters,

of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relatesl to improve- .nieiits in lightning arrestcrs for-association rwith electrical conductors and in certain respects is an improvement upon the invention shown and described in my pending application for l'lnited States Patent Number 401.571 filed Noveinber'll, 1901'. In the said application an arrester is shown having sep- .15A .araed terminals and an interposed equallelectrically insulated from the otliei terminal and inclosed in an envelop of material absorbint by capillary action. The body rcferred to is composed of a suitable combination of materials such as chlorid of potassiiim aid chlorid of sodium. in coarse or The presentinvention provides an arrester to be placed in a circuit ha'ving an 80 equalizing; body composed of a combination e alile binding, powders which when mixed together and pressed in a mold bring about a chemical action which causes the combination eventually to assume a solid forni of the nature of adamant. reasonably impervious to moisture. but in some degree an a isorbent.

The inherentv properties of the combina- 40 tion of materials are such that a portion yof the moisture originally in the same when in the plastic state is retained. after some of mixture of chlorid of ot-assium and chlorid of sodium or other siniaBleca'pillation niaterial, a mechanical bi'nder as asbestos or the materials have become crystallized, and forms a mass of granules or crystals` retailiing little or no moisture holding in suspension the other `globules in intimate relation with each other in the mass which retain moisture in a large degree. I thi'is .provideiin apparently solid non-absorbent bod)7 which is capable of supporting itself without an external envelop, which holds moisture in suspension and is highly electrostatic, of high ohniic resistance, and of'low static impedance, and therefore under cer- 'electrode is a thin was s uaterials. aiii'l' sinttain conditions .is a prohibitive conductor and other conditions a good conductor.

l will nowproceed to describe the invention. referring to -the iiccoinpanyinlgT drawing. which represents one embodiment of the same. which l have found to be of practical value.-in side elevation and partly in `section.

ln the drawing (i, a. indicate a plurality of disk electrodes oi'oid in horizontal crosssection and having a central hole, composed of materials mixed iii a plastic state and pressed in a mold. These electrodes are arranged upoii a rod b of insulating or high ohmic resistance material. and between each 'her c of insulatingY material. extends beyond the outer velectrodes n n and attached to the extensions are the metal or other contacting material terminals d d. one end 1 of which has an orifice adapted to inclose the terminal. which is secured thereto by a screw 2. The inner ends of the metal terminals bear upon the contiguous elec-' trodes and make electrical contact therewith. A cavity 3 is formed in one side ofveach terminal, and a depression 4 is made toward the outer end thereof; .and upon `the. side of each terminal is a lug 5` uponwhich is a screw-thread adapted to receive a nut 6, constituting a means of attachmentfor a line wire g, and a ground wire c. The device as a whole is thus adapted `to be suspended or supported by either terminal from a wire ic, which may be located in the walls of a tank or in anyv other suitable support; as it is designed that the device mai1 e suspended in the open air` or iii an insulated chamber surroundel by air or immersed in insulating liquid. A 1

The electrodes a may bte-composed of a a a chemical binder as ei t or laster of paris, all in suitab e proportions; 1n ille preparation of the mixture witg; '1s supplied to cause`the same to assume a. lastic form, in which state it islaced in amo d and allowed to harden. By t is combinationv the chlorids are'held in a structure composed of the cement and ber which supports the same and prevents the nclosd 'moisture The insulatinf \r rod or support from being dissipated in dry air, and also permits in some degree the absorption of moisture from the drier air. `When such a i body or member, forming a homogeneous mass of non-conductin and conducting material, is interposed in he patli of an electric circuit it offers a high olimie resistance to i the current, but permits the passage of static and sneak currents, and is adapted to sup port itself inany form it may be molded.

Capillation is one of the inherent qualities of the materials enumerated which I make use of, for instance the body or member may a be dried o'ut by excessive heat as by the i5 passage of excessive current, and in such an event it would at once begin to restore to itself moisture by absorption or capillation, and it is therefore'a liquid or semi-liquid conductor, as it becomes While moist ofa gelatin or crystalline character.

. The utility of the device will be apparent,

for as an electric charge comes from the L line wire to the Wire g, it passes to the ter minal d and thence to the first electrode a i and to each successive one of the lower lerniinal d, to the ground by the Wire c.

I claim as my invention- 1. A member or body adapted to be in ter osed in an electric circuit adapted to ab- 1 sor moisture from its surrounding medium. 2. A solid homogeneous member or body l arranged to be interposed in an electric ciicuit adapted to absorb moisture from its` surroundin medium. 3. In a Iightning arrester, a member or 1 body adapted to be interposed in a circuit composed of a mixture of hygroscopic niaterial and of non-hygroscopic material, the i latter holding the former in suspension and 40 supporting the same.

In a lightninff arrester, an equalizing body or member a apted to be interposed in a circuit com osed of chlorid of otassium and chlorid o sodium, and a chemical binding material.

5. In a lightning arrester, a member or body adapted to be interposed in a circuit composed of a mixture of hygroscopie inaterial and non-hygroscopic material, the latter consisting of suitable binding material to form a support for the former. (3. In a lightning arrester, an equalizing body or member adapted to be interposed i said body, which is com end with conuhetin the said body composed hygroscopic material and non-hygroscopic material, the latter holding and supporting the former.

in a circuit composed of chlorid of potassium, chlorid of sodium, a chemical bindin material, and a mechanical binding materia 7. In a lightning arrester, a support, a

t member or body secured therein compos of a mixture of hygrosco ic material and of non-hygroscopic materia the latter holding and su porting the former.

8. In a ightning arrester, an insulatin support, a member or body provided at eac end with terminals composed of a mixture of liygroseopic material and of n0nhy roscopic material, the latter holding the gormer and supporting the same.

9. In a lightning arrester, an insulatin support, a member or body provided at eac end with conducting terminals embedded in osed of a mixture of hygioscopic materia and non-hygroscopic material, the latter holding and supportin the former.

10. n a lightning arrester, an insulating base provided with outwardly extending standards, a member or body having condiictin terminals projecting from each en thereo secured in said standards and provided with metal plates embedded in said body, the said body com osed of a mixture of hygroscopic materia and non-hygroseopic material, the latter holding and supporting the former.

11. In a .lightning arrester, an insulating support, a member or body provided at each terminals embedded in said body and attac ed to said support and having means of connection with a circuit, of a mixture of 1Q. In a lightnin arrester, an equalizing body or member a apted to be inter ose in a circuit com osed of chlorid of ca cium or calcium of ch orid and chlorid of sodium, and a chemical binding material.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication in the rese e of two' subscribing witnesses, this 21th day of October, 1908.

IVILLIAM R. GARTON. 'Witnesses: v VioLE'r E. Lnis'i,

EDWARD KiRKHAM. 

